Electric switch



1934- A. .Y. DODGE 1,983,124

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 9, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TbR.

Dec. 4, 1934. A. Y. DODGE 1,983,124

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filedv Jan. 9, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 51, 1934 ELECTRIC swrron Adlel Y. Dodge,

South Bend, nc.

Application January 9, 193s, Serial No. 650,784

13 Claims.

' This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to amercury tube switch comprising r'neans for opening and closing twoseparate circuits.

One object ofthe present invention is the provision of an improvedenvelope andliquid separator and, more particularly, the provision of agenerally improvedland simplified envelope for making selectively one oftwo contacts and breaking both contacts, which may be formed moreeconomically and expeditiously.

Another object is to reduce the operations and labor involved intheformation of these envelopes and to provide an envelope structurepermitting the use of heavier glass than heretofore practicable in themanufacture of single contact tubes.

Furtherobjects and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan "wiew. partly in section ofone form of my doublecontact switch;

Fig. 2 shows the'same tube front elevation when level;

Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the tube when tilted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, showing contact madeon the lower. side and broken on the upper side;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the tube tilted in the opposite directionto Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line VIVI of Fig. 5 showing the lowercontact made and the upp r contact broken; 1

35 Fig. '1 shows a sectional view of an optional I constructiondescribed later;

Fig..8 shows a sectional elevation of a tube having a differentstructural arrangement;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line X-X of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a modified form of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the tube showing thetube tilted to the right;

so when cury separates to open the circuit.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6, 20 indicates the bulb or enclosingenvelope-which is shown as a general 6 shaped formation. In generalthese envelopes consist of bent glass tubing with go; the ends sealedaround a suitable electrode. In

Fig. 13 is a sectional view on line XfIL-XEII referring to the tube as cshaped. it is intended to bring out the fact thatit has along andgenerally straight central section, preferably having .one terminal 1 atits center, and which is looped around at both ends so that the two endsof the tube are in alinement and in close juxtaposition,

preferably with the other two terminals 2 and 3 arranged therein.

. In the preferred form these tubes are bent in the side view so thatwhen lyinglevel, as shown in Fig. 1, the mercury is separated into threebodies, thus breaking electric contact between terminals 1 and 2 andterminals 1 and 3. However, in another form, this same shaped tube maylie fiat in the side view and at the bends be provided with anindentation or hump as shown at 4 in Fig. 7. Ordinarilythis tube issupported in a manner so thatit may be tipped to the left about anaxis-extending through the center of the tube and between the ends ofthe tube, 1. e. through contact 1 and between. contacts 2 and 3 as shownin Fig. 3, or, tipped to the right as shown in Fig. 5, or, held in anintermediate position as shown in Fig. 2. When tipped to the left asshown in Fig. 3 electriccontact is made by the mercury betweenelectrodes 1 .and 3 and broken between 1 and 2. When moved into theposition shown in Fig. 5; i. e.,.tipped to the right, electric contactis made between terminals 1 and 2 and broken between terminals 1 and 3;whereas, when moved into the position shown in Fig. 2 contacts arebroken between terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 1 and 3 as shown inFig. 1. It is common practice in thermostat devices and humidity controldevices to use two separate tubes, one completing electric contact atsome upper predetermined limit of temperature or humidity; the othertube completing electric contact at some predetermined ILW limit oftemperature .or humidity. I propose to accomplish this with one tube bytilting it one way or the other about i a central axis. This tube willalso be found useful .in' connectionwith devices other than thosementioned.

In Figs. 8 to 15 is shown of radically different constructionaccomplishing this same purpose. This improvement consists of means forconstructing a mercury contact tube which embodies a porcelain orsimilar material 14 (Fig. 8) enveloped in a glass chamber 13. Part 14has a channel for conducting mercury between electric terminal points insuch manner that one electric circuit may be closed shortly after theopening of another on the'opposite side. To this extent thisconstruction accomplishes the'same results as does the constructionshown in Figs. 1 to 7, inc.

But, in addition to the above, the construction shown in Figs. 8 to 15provides means for closing one or two electric circuits when the tube isin a double contact tubenoeams and 10 (Fig. 11) outside of the mercurybath when the tube is level by placing them more nearly the crest ofhump 11 (Fig. 11) The pln'pose of this hump or rise in the mercurychannel is to cause the mercury to break or separate in theirproximity'when the tube is level and to cause a more rapid break at thetime mercury separates as tube is tipped from the contact position inquestion.

It is to be understood that the embodiments oi the invention herein setforth are presented for the purpose of illustration only, and variouschanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mercury switch having a tiltable member having formed therein acurved reservoir containing mercury and having its ends in alinement andin close juxtaposition, and at least three contacts extending into saidreservoh and adapted to be immersed in the mercury therein and two ofwhich are arranged in said ends, said member being arranged for tiltingmovement about an axis extending midway between two of the contacts.

2. A mercury switch comprising a c-shaped reservoir containing mercuryand having a central section looped around at both ends and having itsends in alinement and close juxtaposition, and having a contact in eachend and one in said central section approximately at its center, andmounted to be tilted about an axis extending through the center contactand substantially midway between the end contacts.

3. A mercury switch comprising a C-shaped reservoir containing mercuryand having a central section looped around at both ends and having itsends in alinement and in close juxtaposition, and having a contact ineach end and one in said central section approximately at its center,and which is constructed and arranged when level to break up the mercuryinto three.

disconnected bodies in which the three contac are immersed respectively.

4. A mercury switch comprising a C-shaped reservoir containing mercuryand having a central section looped around at both ends and having itsends in alinement and in close juxtaposition, and having a contact ineach end and one in said central section approximately at its center,and which is bent upwardly where it is looped around to connect the endsto said central section so that when level the mercury breaks up intothree disconnected bodies in which the three contacts are immersedrespectively.

5. A mercury switch comprisingAa C-shaped reservoir containing mercuryand having a central section looped around at both ends and having itsends in alinement and in close juxtaposition, and having a contact ateach end and one in said central section approximately at its center,and having indentations between the centercontact and the end contactsrespectively, such that when the reservoir is level the mercury isbroken up into three bodies in which the contacts are immersedrespectively.

6. A mercury switch comprising a c-shaped sealed glass tube containingmercury and having a central section looped around at bothends andhaving its ends in alinement and in close juxtaposition, and having acontact at each end and one in said central section approximately at itscenter, and having constrictions between the center contact and the endcontacts respectively, such that when the reservoir is level the mercuryis broken up into three bodies in which the contacts are immersedrespectively.

2. A mercury switch comprising a tiltable sealed tube, an elementmounted in said tube and having in its upper face a curved hori-' zontalgroove containing mercury, and contacts projecting into said groove, incombination with means for oscillating the tube to cause the mer- 8. Amercury switch comprising a tiltable sealed tube, an element mounted insaid tube and having in its upper face a circular groove containingmercury, and two pairs or contacts projecting into said groove andselectively electrically connected by tilting said tube.

9. A mercury switch comprising a tiltable member having a curved groovein its upper face and having humps inthe bottom of said groove to breakup the mercury into separated bodies when said member is level, andcontacts beside said humps.

10. A mercury switch comprising a tiltable member having a curved groovein its upper face and having humps in the bottom or said groove to breakup the mercury into separated bodies when said member is level, andcontacts adjacent and on opposite sides of said humps and which areimmersed in said separated bodies 01' mercury when the tiltable memberis level.

11. A mercury switch comprising a tiltable member having a curved groovein its upper face and having humps in the bottom 01. said groove tobreak up the mercury into separated bodies when said member is level,and contacts passing through the ends of said humps out of the mer-"cury when said member is level and immersed in I the mercury when saidmember is tilted to cause the mercury to flow over the hump.

12. A mercury switch comprising a sealed tube containing anon-conducting member formed in its upper face with a ring-shaped groovecontaining mercury, and having contacts extending v

